Door lock



Nov. 26, 1957 J. H. ROETHEL nooR LOCK Filed March 5, 1957 1w W. h @M a h2 m Eli-5.; n?

United States Patent 2,814,193 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 DOOR LOCK John H. Roethel, Coral Gables, Fla.

Application March 5, 1957, Serial No. 644,110

9 Claims. (Cl. 70-142) This invention relates to a latch mechanism for swinging doors, particularly the doors of automobiles or other vehicle bodies, an object of the invention being to provide an improved door latch mechanism which is characterized by its simplicity and compactness in construction and which is economical to manufacture, comparatively quiet in operation and efficient in use.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 408,448, filed February 5, 1954, and a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 437,098, filed June 16, 1954, both now abandoned.

In general, the improved door latch mechanism of the present invention comprises a pivoted latch device, coacting pawl or detent and ratchet means for holding the latch device in door latching position, means manually operable from the outside of the door for disengaging the pawl or detent from the ratchet means, which manually operable means includes a detent release member pivotally mounted on the case plate portion of the latch mechanism, means manually operable from the inside of the door for releasing the pawl or detent from the ratchet means independently of the detent release lever, and means to prevent actuation of the detent release lever thereby to prevent release of the latch mechanism from the outside of the door, which last mentioned means comprises a pivoted member swingable into blocking position relative to the detent release lever thereby to render the means manually operable from the outside of the door inoperable to disengage the pawl or detent from the ratchet means.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch mechanism having an improved construction and arrangement of the pivoted latch device. It is a further object to provide a latch mechanism having an improved construction and arrangement of the ratchet means, said ratchet means being fixed to the latch device for pivotal movement therewith and controlling the positioning of the latch device so as to ensure that the latter is properly maintained in final latched, safety latched or unlatched condition.

It is also an object of the present invention to illustrate! an improved striker or keeper device adapted to coact with the latch device of the present latch mechanism to provide a safety interlock of the swinging door to the body or frame member to which it is latched. The improved striker or keeper device embodied in the present invention is adapted not only to hold the door in latched condition upon the door being normally swung from an open to a closed position but it is also adapted to maintain the door in latched condition under abnormal stresses tending to cause the door to be moved longitudinally of the vehicle body relative to the frame member to which it is latched.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating the case plate mounted parts of the door latch mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially through line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is in part a fragmentary view taken substantially in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. l and in part a e sectional view taken substantially through the line 3a-3a of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows. This view illustrates the cooperative relationship between the latch device and the striker or keeper device when the door is in door latched condition.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially through the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawing there is illustrated, by way of example, a certain embodiment of the present invention as applied to the door and door frame structures of an automobile body. The latch mechanism constructed in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a case plate 10 provided with screw bosses 11 by means of which the case plate is adapted to be secured to the inner side of the jamb portion 12 of the door. The case plate 10 terminates at its inner edge in a flange 13 adapted to face the inner door panel. The latch mechanism is provided with a pivoted latch or bolt 14 positioned at the outer face of the case plate 10, this latch or bolt 14 having a stub or pivot shaft 15 extending through a bearing device 16 secured to the case plate 10. The inner end of the stub or pivot shaft 15 is flattened and extends through a correspondingly shaped aperture in a toothed ratchet member 17, the projecting end 18 of the stub shaft 15 being riveted or staked over so as to retain the ratchet member thereon. From the foregoing construction, it will be seen that the pivoted latch bolt 14 is rigidly secured to the ratchet member 17, being pivotal therewith on the shaft 15.

The latch bolt 14 comprises a lever or finger-like latch element 19 having a modified figure eight contour. The latch element 19 is pivotally mounted for turning movement about a pivot axis, the pivot axis of the pivot shaft 15, which is located substantially at the center of the lower portion 20 of the latch element 19. The latch element 19 extends in a substantially up and down direction when in door latched position, see Figs. 1 and 4, and is swingable in a plane parallel to the front face of the latch plate 10. The latch element 19 when in door unlatched position assumes the position indicated in dotand-dash outline in Fig. 1.

Of particular importance to the present invention is the manner in which the latch bolt 14 is mounted on the case plate 10. It will be noted, see Fig. 3, that the main body portion 21 of the pivot shaft 15 is journaled in the bearing device 16 which comprises a bushing 22. The bushing 22 has a main cylindrical body portion 23 provided with a shoulder 24 of slightly greater diameter than the main body portion and a flange 25 of somewhat larger diameter. The shoulder 24 is undercut to provide a lip portion 26. The bushing 22 is assembled to the plate 10 by being inserted in a suitable aperture of a diameter complementary to the diameter of the bushing shoulder 24. The lip portion 26 is then staked or riveted over to securely retain the bushing 22 in place on the case plate.

The peripheral surface of the bushing main body portion 23 provides a journal for a roller 27. The roller 27 may be made of a suitable plastic material such as nylon or any suitable metal having good anti-friction qualities. The roller 27 end face 28 is undercut so as not to frictionally engage the staked or riveted over lip portion 26 on the bushing shoulder 24.

After the roller 27 is placed on the bushing 22, the pivot shaft 15, which may be integral with or riveted to the latch element 19, is inserted through the bushing 22. When the ratchet member 17 is positioned on the end portion 18 of the latch bolt shaft and the end portion is staked or riveted over, the roller 27 will be retained between the latch element 19 and the latch plate 10.

As will be further noted, Fig. 3, the latch plate 10 is provided with an embossed portion 29 which is adapted to fit or substantially close up the hole or aperture 30 in the free edge wall or jamb portion 12 of the vehicle door through which the latch bolt is inserted to project beyond the plane of the leading edge of the door.

It will also be noted that the latch element 19 is provided with a flange portion 31 which extends below the e lower edge of the roller 27, for reason to be explained.

The ratchet member 17 is formed on its periphery with a toothed portion forming a series of three spaced abutments or shoulders 32, 33 and 34, all of which form detent or pawl engaging surfaces. Cooperable with the toothed portion of the ratchet member 17 is a swinging detent or pawl 35 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon the shank of a stud or shoulder rivet 36 secured to the case plate 10. The detent or pawl 35 is provided with a downwardly extending arm 37, the lower end of which is engageable successively with the abutments or teeth 32, 33 and 34 of the ratchet member 17. When the detent or pawl arm 37 engages the abutment 32, as in Fig. l, the pivoted latch bolt 14 is retained in door latched position. When the detent or pawl arm 37 is in engagement with the abutment 33, the pivoted latch bolt is retained in the safety locking position. And, when the detent or pawl arm 37 is in engagement with the abutment 34, as shown in dot-and-dash outline in Fig. l, the pivoted latch bolt is in the unlatched position. It will be noted that the shoulder rivet 36 is provided with a slot or kerf 38 adapted to receive the inner end of a spiral spring 39. The free end 40 of the spring 39 underlies an abutment 41 on the substantially horizontally extending arm 42 of the pawl 35 thereby tending to urge the pawl in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. The pawl 35 is thus normally urged into ratchet member engagement.

Associated with the detent or pawl 35 is a detent actuating or release lever 43 pivotally mounted on the shoulder rivet 36 so as to swing freely thereon. The pawl 35 and the detent release lever 43 are, therefore, mounted to swing independently of each other about the common pivot axis of the pivot stud or shoulder rivet 36. The release lever 43 has a lever arm 44 extending in a substantially horizontal direction having a lug 45 on the extreme end thereof overlying the upper edge of the horizontally extending detent arm 42. By virtue of this construction, the detent release lever 43 and the detent or pawl 35 have parts thereof in abutting relation so that if the detent release lever 43 is swung in a clockwise direction,as viewed in Fig. 1, the lug 45 thereon will abut the detent arm 42 and will cause the detent or pawl 35 also to swing in a'clockwise direction.

The detent release lever 43 has an upwardly extending arm or part 46 formed with a flange 47 thereon. The flange is adapted to be engaged by a push or plunger type outside operator, represented by the push button element 48, for imparting pivotal or swinging movement to the detent release lever 43 about its pivot 36. As

was stated hereinabove, the detent or pawl 35 is yieldingly urged toward the ratchet member 17 by means of the coiled spring 39. Due to the abutting relation between the upper edge of the detent arm 42 and the lug 45 on the release lever arm or part 44, the spring 39 will also function to restore the lever arm 44 upwardly and therefore the arm 46 outwardly so as to maintain the release lever 43 in its normal non-operating position shown in Fig. 1. A lug 49 lanced out of the case plate 10 is provided, which lug carries a rubber stop 50 against which the upper edges of both the detent release lever arm 44 and the detent arm 42 abut. By providing a stop to limit the extent of the upward movement of the detent arm 42, the movement of the detent arm 37 into the ratchet member 17 is controlled so that the arm will not click against the peripheral surface of the ratchet member, as seen in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that the ratchet member 17 is continually being urged toward a door unlatched position by a coil spring 51 having one end secured to a rivet or stud 52 carried on the ratchet member and its other end secured or fixed to a rivet or stud 53 secured to the case plate 10. The rivet or stud 52 is located eccentrically of the pivot axis of the ratchet member 17 and the coil spring 51 is pre-loaded so as to always be under tension. In Fig. 1, the latch mechanism is shown in door latched position. Therefore, upon the detent release lever 43 being actuated so as to swing the same in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, the lug 45 thereon will abut the arm 42 of the detent or pawl 35 causing the same to be swung in a clockwise direction lifting or swinging the arm 37 thereof out of engagement with the ratchet member abutment 32. The spring 51 will then cause the ratchet or plate member 17 to pivot in a clockwise direction. However, it will be noted that the abutment 34 is of sufficient length so as to abut the free end of the pawl arm 37 even though the pawl 35 may be swung in a clockwise direction as far as it will go. Actually, the range of movement of the pawl 35 in a clockwise direction is limited by engagement of the free end of the pawl arm 42 with the case plate flange 13. It will be noted that the free end of the pawl arm 42 is provided with an extension 54 projecting into a slot 55 in the case plate flange 13, the lower end of the slot 55 providing a stop limiting the clockwise movement of the pawl 35.

It will be further noted that the case plate flange 10 is provided with a lug or stop 56 lanced out of the plate so as to project into the path of the abutment 34 on the ratchet member 17. The lug 56 is so positioned that should the latch bolt 14 for any reason be manipulated or turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, the stop or lug 56 will be engaged by the abutment 34 thereby preventing the ratchet member from being turned sutficiently in a counterclockwise direction so as to throw the lower end of the spring 51 beyond a dead center position or to the right of the center of rotation of the ratchet member 35, as viewed in Fig. 1. Obviously, if the lower end of the spring were permitted to pass to the right of the center of the pivot axis of the ratchet member 35, the spring would cause the ratchet member and thereby the latch bolt 14 to turn completely over into an inoperative position. The stop or lug 56 prevents this from occurring.

The present latch device is preferably operated from the inside of the door through the medium of a remote control mechanism comprising -a longitudinally shiftable draft link 57, a portion of which is shown, which is pivoted to the lower end of one arm 58 of a bell crank lever 59, see Fig. 2. The draft link 57 is provided with a slot 60 through which the pivot stud extends for a reason to be hereinafter explained. The bell crank lever 59 is pivoted on the shank of a shoulder rivet 61 secured to the case plate flange 13 'and'is provided with a projecting arm 62 overlying at its inner end the detent arm projection or extension 54. The remote control mechanism is prefer ably manually actuated from the inside of the door remote from the case plate by means of a door handle which may be turned in either direction or by any other suitable remote control operator through which the draft link 57 may be shifted longitudinally to the right or left as viewed in Fig. 2. The counterclockwise swinging movement of the bell crank lever 59, as viewed in Fig. 2, will cause the arm 62 to depress the detent arm 42 thereby swinging the detent or pawl out of engagement with the ratchet member 17.

A blocking means is provided for restraining or blocking the detent release lever 43 against operation from the outside of the vehicle door. The blocking means comprises a generally vertically extending member 63 pivotally suspended from a pivot stud 64 on the case plate flange 13. The blocking member or lever 63 is so constructed and arranged that it may be shifted either from the inside or the outside of the door into a position into which a blocking part thereon will lie in abutting relation to the extreme end of the detent release lever arm 44. The blocking part on the blocking member is an edge flange 65 extending vertically and paralleling the end of the detent arm 42. The upper edge 66 of the blocking part or edge flange 65 is adapted, when the blocking member or lever 63 is positioned as shown in Fig. 2, to underlie the lower edge of the detent release lever arm lug 45, thus preventing clockwise movement of the release lever arm 44. The blocking portion or edge flange 65 has a descending angular extension 67 which extends in the direction of the case plate 10 and is adapted to abut the same to limit swinging movement of the blocking member or lever 63 in the direction of the case plate 10 and thus ensure correct positioning of the blocking portion or edge flange 65 in the path of the release lever arm 62. A snapover spring 68 having one end hooked into an aperture 69 in the case plate flange 13 and the other end hooked into an aperture 70 in the blocking member 63 is provided to yieldingly hold and urge the blocking member 63toward either its blocking or non-blocking position, as the case may be. It will be noted that the case plate flange 13 is provided with an upturned lug 71 adapted to act as a stop to limit swinging movement of the blocking member 63 in unblocking direction.

The blocking member 63 may be shifted into or out of blocking position by a key operated mechanism from the outside of the vehicle door or by a certain manipulation of the inside door handle as will be explained.

The blocking member 63 may be swung into or out of blocking position from the outside of the vehicle door through the medium of a key operated mechanism. The member 63 is provided at the lower end thereof with a vertically extending slot 72. The slot 72 is adapted to receive a lug 73 projecting from the upper end of a generally vertically extending arm 74 of a bell crank lever '75 which is pivotally mounted on the case plate flange 13. Upon the bell crank lever 75 being swung in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, the blocking member 63 Will be swung in a clockwise direction, thus shifting the blocking means or blocking edge flange 65 into blocking relation to the lower edge of the lug 45 on the detent release lever arm 44. Swinging the bell crank arm in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, will cause the blocking member 63 to be swung in a counterclockwise direction against the stop 71 where it will be held by the asnapover spring 68.

The bell crank lever 75 is swingably mounted on the case plate flange 13 by means of :a tubular rivet 76 having an aperture 77 adapted to receive the rectangular cross sectional shaft of a conventional key control mechanism (not shown). it will be noted that the slot 72 is somewhat wider than the lug 73 providing for suflicient lost motion to permit the key control mechanism to be restored to a central position after having been utilized to turn the bell crank 75 in either direction, restoration of the key to 6 a center position generally being necessary to permit withdrawal of the key from the key cylinder mechanism.

It will be noted that the blocking member 63 is provided with a projection or lug 78 on the side thereof adjacent the remote control operated draft link 57. Also, it was stated earlier that the draft link 57 was provided with a slot 60. The lug 78 and the slot 60 are part of an inner manually operable means for shifting the blocking member 63 into blocking position from the inside of the vehicle door. When the blocking member or lever 63 is in non-blocking position, the lug or projection 78 thereon will lie in abutting relation to the end 79 of the draft link 57. If the inside remote control handle or other operating member (not shown) is shifted in a direction opposite to the direction in which it is normally shifted to cause the vehicle door to become unlatched, the draft link end 79 will abut the projection 78 and thereby cause the blocking member or lever 63 to be swung into blocking position relative to the detent release lever 43. Because of the slot 60, such movement, that is, movement to the left as viewed in Fig. 2, of the draft link 57 has no effect on the bell crank 59. The slot 60 also permits the draft link 57 to be returned to its normal inoperative position after completion of the shifting of the blocking member 63 into blocking position.

The present embodiment of the illustrated latch mechanism is provided with a means for automatically restoring the blocking member 63 to unblocked position should said means he in blocking position when the door is open and the door is then closed; and also when said means is in blocking position when the door is closed and the latch mechanism is operated to open the door from the inside. It has been stated that the blocking member 63 is provided with an inclined flange or angular exension 67. When the blocking member 63 is in blocking position, the inclined flange or angular extension 67 underlies a part of the detent arm 42. Upon downward movement of the detent arm 42, the arm will abut the inclined flange 67 and cam the blocking member 63 in unblocking direction. Movement of the detent arm 42 downwardly may result from movement of the detent means 35 independently of actuation by the detent release lever 43 in one of two ways. The first of these ways involves movement of the door from an open to a closed position. As the door is moved to a closed position, the ratchet member 17 will be rotate-d "in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, upon engagement of the bolt 14 with the striker or keeper device, herein generally designated '80. As the ratchet member 17 rotates, the abutments thereon will abut and lift the detent arm 37 against the resistance of the spring 39 thereby causing the detent to be swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig.1. The detent arm 42 will thus be swung downwardly as a result of the pivotal movement of the detent and it will engage the inclined flange 67 of the blocking member 63 and drive the blocking member toward unblocking position.

As soon as the blocking member 63 passes the dead center position of the snapover spring 68, the latter will urge the blocking member to its normal non-operative blocking position and will retain it there.

Actuation of the remote control bell crank lever 59 from the inside of the door also results in downward movement of the detent means arm 42. Thus, if the blocking member 63 is in blocking position and the remote control bell crank lever 59 is swung in door unlatching direction, the resultant downward movement of the detent arm 42 will drive the blocking lever 63 into unblocking position.

Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing illustrate the cooperative relationship between the latch bolt 14 and the keeper or striker device 86 in holding the door in latched position. The striker or keeper device 80 adapted to cooperate with the latch bolt 14 embodied in the present invention is adapted to be secured to the vehicle body pillar 81 by suitable bolts 82 projecting through the bolt holes 33.

The striker or keeper device, as best seen in Fig. 4, has in general the form of the letter C open to the outside. It is preferably made of a unitary piece of material and comprises a bottom or foot part 84 having a substantially flat upper surface 85, an ascendant or erect rib portion 86 and a head portion 87 of essentially hook form. The head portion 87 serves to engage the upper or free end portion 88 of the latch bolt 14 in a manner so as to retain the vehicle door in a closed position. The bottom part or foot portion 84 of the keeper device, or, more particularly, the upper surface 85 thereof, presents a support for the roller 27 on the latch bolt device 14. Thus, when the latch bolt 14 is engaged with the striker or keeper 80 in a manner as shown in Fig. 4, the latter serves to simultaneously hold the door in latched position and to secure the door against vertical movement while the vehicle is in motion.

However, it will be noted that provision is made to prevent the latch bolt 14 from becoming disengaged from the striker or keeper 80 in a direction of movement axially of the pivot shaft thereof. The axial movement referred to would be in a direction to the right with reference to Fig. 3. It will be noted that the upper or free end portion 88 of the latch element 14 is received in a pocket undercut behind the front wall 89 of the striker or keeper. It will be further noted that the bottom or foot part 84 of the striker or keeper device 80 is undercut behind the wall portion 90, on the upper surface 85 of which the roller 27 rides. The lower flange of the latch bolt 14 projects into this lower undercut portion. Thus, any attempted axial movement to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, of the latch bolt 14 relative to the striker is inhibited by the wall portions 89 and 90 of the keeper device, except for that movement permitted by the clearance between the latch bolt 14 and said wall portions. When the latch bolt 14 is in engagement with the striker or keeper device 80, either in fully latched position as shown in Fig. 4 or in a safety latched position, the position intermediate the two positions shown in Fig. 1, the latch bolt 14 cannot become disengaged from the striker or keeper device 80 in the normal direction of swinging movement of the door about its hinges or in the event of such distortion of the vehicle body as would cause the door to be moved relatively to the framing member or body pillar 81 in a direction longitudinally of the vehicle body.

It will be noted that the head portion 87 of the striker or keeper device 80 is provided with a rubber insert 91 shielded at the lower portion thereof by a metal spring shield 92, the latch element contacting portion of which is contoured complementarily to the upper curved contour of the upper portion 88 of the latch bolt 14. The rubber insert 91 is inserted in the rear face of the striker or keeper device 80 and is securely retained therein when the striker or keeper device is bolted to the vehicle frame member or body pillar 81. The rubber insert 91 is provided with a suitable hole permitting it to receive the bolt 82 holding the striker or keeper device to the body pillar.

In operation, when the vehicle door is in unlatched condition the latch bolt 14 has the position shown in dotand-dash outline in Fig. 1. As the door is swung to a closed position, the roller 27 engages a rounded toe portion 93 of the bottom or foot part 84 of the striker or keeper device 80 and it suitably rolls along the upper surface 85 thereof. Thus, if the vehicle door has sagged about its hinges slightly, the roller 27 will cause the door to be picked up so as to properly align the latch bolt 14 relative to the striker before the door is slammed shut. As the closing movement of the door continues, the rounded portion of the upper part 88 of the latch bolt 14 will abut an angularly inclined guide projection 94 on the ascendant or rib portion 86 of the striker or keeper device and the latch element 14 will be rotated and swung in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the upper and lower section of the latch bolt are connected by a suitably reduced neck portion 95 which, when the latch bolt 14 is in fully latched position, provides a clearance space between the apex 96 of the inclined angular projection 94 on the asccndant rib 86 and the latch bolt 14. Actually, as the door is moved to fully closed position, the rubber seal around the edge of the door is somewhat compressed and the latch bolt 14 will overtravel a slight degree. The clearance between the apex 96 of the angular guide projection 94 and the neck portion 95 of the latch element permits such overtravel without damage to the bolt device or the striker. Should the closing movement of the door be interrupted when the latch bolt has reached only a safety position, the vehicle door will be held in safety latched position since the bolt will enter into the hook or upper head portion 87 of the striker a sufficient distance to prevent disengagement. The latch bolt device cannot be moved out of the striker or keeper unless the latch mechanism is released to permit the bolt to rotate back to the position shown in dot-and-dash outline in Fig. 1. Upon normal closing of the door, the latch bolt will travel all the way to the position shown in Fig. 4. The rubber insert 91 will be compressed slightly. It will be understood that the rubber will be sufiiciently resistant to compression so that the latch bolt will be substantially held against movement in an up and down direction thereby holding the vehicle door against vibration in a vertical direction. Inasmuch as the bushing 22 which supports the latch bolt 14 and its pivot shaft 15 is rigidly and firmly secured to the latch plate 10, it is not necessary to provide any additional structure, such as a dovetail cooperating with a wedge, to hold the vehicle door against movement in said up and down direction. The hard rubber insert acts as a means for taking up any vertical clearances which might exist between the latch bolt 14 and the striker or keeper device 80.

I claim:

1. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the door jamb and having a flange extending agularly from said plate portion, a pivoted latch device mounted on said plate portion, lever means pivotally mounted on said 3 plate portion and having a blocking portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching position, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said lever means, said lever means and detent means each having arm portions extending in substantially the direction thereby to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, outer manually operable means cooperable with said lever means for swinging the same in said one rotative direction, a generally vertically extending member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said support and having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, and manually operable means for swinging said member to dispose said blocking means in opposing relation to said blocking portion thereby to block swinging movement of said lever in said one rotative direction and render the same inelfective to move said detent means out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said member having an angularly inclined surface thereon adapted to underlie said detent means arm portion when said blocking means is in opposing relation to said blocking portion, said detent means arm portion being engageable with said angularly inclined surface to swing said swingable member to shift its said blocking portion out of blocking position upon pivotal movement of the detent means independently of actuation thereof by said outer manually operable means.

2. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the door jamb and having a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a pivoted latch device mounted on said plate portion, lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching position, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said lever means, said lever means and detent means each having arm portions extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said lever means in one rotative direction thereby to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, outer manually operable means cooperable with said lever means for swinging the same in said one rotative direction, said lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said flange and having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, and manually operable means mounted on said flange for swinging said member to dispose said blocking means in opposing relation to said blocking portion thereby to block swinging movement of said lever in said one rotative direction and render the same ineffective to move said detent means out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said member having an angularly inclined surface thereon adapted to underlie said detent means arm portion when said blocking means is in opposing relation to said blocking portion, said detent means arm portion being engageable with said angularly inclined surface to swing said swingable member to shift its said blocking portion out of blocking position upon pivotal movement of the detent means independently of actuation thereof by said outer manually operable means.

3. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the door jamb and having a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a pivoted latch device mounted on said plate portion, lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching position, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said lever means, said lever means and detent means each having arm portions extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said lever means in one rotative direction thereby; to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, outer manually operable means cooperable with said lever means for swingingthe same in said one rotative direction, said lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said flange and having blocking means for cooperation with said blocking portion, and manually operable means mounted on said flange for swinging said member to dispose said blocking means in opposing relation to said blocking portion thereby to block swinging movement of said lever in said one rotative direction and render the same ineffective to move said detent means out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said last mentioned manually operable means comprising a key operated lever arm; having an interlocking connection with said member at the other end thereof, said member having an angularly inclined surface thereon adapted to underlie said detent means arm portion when said blocking means is in opposing relation to said blocking portion, said detent means arm portion being engageable with said angularly inclined surface to swing said swingable member to shift its said blocking portion out of blocking position upon pivotal movement of the detent means independently of actuation thereof by said outer manually operable means.

4. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange portion extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement about a fixed axis, lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching position, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said lever means, said lever means and detent means each having arm portions extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said lever means in one rotative direction thereby to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending swingable member pivotally mountei at one end thereof on said flange portion and having a blocking flange thereon for cooperation with said blocking portion, and manually operable means mounted on said flange portion for swinging said swingable member to dispose said blocking flange in position to underlie said blocking portion thereby to block swinging movement of said lever means in said one rotative direction and render the same ineffective to move said detent means out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said swingable member having an angular part thereof adjacent said blocking flange adapted to underlie said detent means arm portion when said blocking flange is in opposing relation to said blocking portion, said detent mean arm portion being engageable with said angular part to shift said swingable member and its blocking flange out of blocking position upon pivotal movement of the detent means independently of actuation thereof by swinging movement of said lever means.

5. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange portion extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement about a fixed axis, a first lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching position, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said first lever means, a second lever means pivotally mounted on said flange portion engageable with said detent means to swing the same independently of said first lever means, said first lever means and detent means each having arm portions extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said first lever means in one rotative direction thereby to pivotarly move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said first lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending swingable member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said flange portion and having a blocking flange thereon for cooperation with said blocking portion, and manually operable means mounted on said flange portion for swinging said swingable'member to dispose said blocking flange in position to underlie said blocking portion thereby to block swinging movement of said first lever means in said one ro tative direction and render the same ineflective to move said detent means out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said swingable member having an angular part thereof adjacent said blocking flange adapted to underlie said detent means arm portion when said blocking flange is in opposing relation to said blocking portion, said detent means arm portion being engageable with said angular part to shift said swingable member and its blocking flange out of blocking position upon movement of the detent means by said second lever means independently of said first lever means.

6. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement about a fixed axis, a first lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching position, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said first lever means, said first lever means and detent means each having an arm portion extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said first lever means in one rotative direction thereby to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said first lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending swingable member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said flange portion and having a blocking flange thereon for cooperation with said blocking portion, and inner manually operable means mounted on said flange portion comprising a second lever means having a first arm means overlying said detent means arm portion and a second arm means, draft link means connected to said second arm means, one of said last mentioned means having a part thereof adapted to be inabutting relation to an abutment on said swingable member when the latter is in non-blocking position, said inner manually operable means when shifted in one direction causing said last mentioned part to engage said swingable member abutment and swing said swingable member from non-blocking to blocking position.

7. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement about a fixed axis, a first lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching position, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said first lever means, said first lever means and detent means each having an arm portion extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said first lever means in one rotative direction thereby to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said first lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending swingable member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said flange portion and having a blocking flange thereon for cooperation with said blocking portion, and inner manually operable means mounted on said flange portion comprising a second lever means having a first arm means overlying said detent means arm portion and a second arm means, draft link means connected to said second arm means, one of said last mentioned means having a part thereof adapted to be in abutting relation to an abutment on said swingable member when the latter is in non-blocking position,

said inner manually operable means when shifted in one direction causing said last mentioned part to engage said swingable member abutment and swing said swingable member from non-blocking to blocking position, said inner manually operable means when shifted in the opposite direction to cause said second lever means first arm means to abut said detent means arm portion being effective to move said detent means out of holding position with respect to said latch device independently of said first lever means.

8. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange portion extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement about a fixed axis, a first lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching condition, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said first lever means, a second lever means pivotally mounted on said flange portion, said first lever means and detent means each having an arm portion extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said first lever means in one rotative direction thereby to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said first lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending swingable member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said flange portion and having a blocking flange thereon for cooperation with said blocking portion, said second lever means having a first arm overlying said detent means arm portion and a second arm, a draft link means having a pin and slot connection with said second arm, said draft link means having an end part thereof adapted to be in abutting relation to an abutment on said swingable member when the latter is in non-blocking position, said draft link means when shifted in a direction to cause its end part to abut said abutment being effective to swing said swingable member from non-blocking position to blocking position.

9. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door, a support having a plate portion for disposition at the free edge wall of the door and having a flange portion extending angularly from said plate portion, a latch device mounted on said plate portion for movement about a fixed axis, a first lever means pivotally mounted on said plate portion, detent means engageable with said latch device for holding the same in door latching condition, said detent means being pivotally mounted on said plate portion to swing independently of said first lever means, a second lever means pivotally mounted on said flange portion, said first lever means and detent means each having an arm portion extending in substantially the same general direction, one of said arm portions having a part thereof arranged in opposing relation to a part of the other of said arm portions to abut the same upon swinging movement of said first lever means in one rotative direction thereby to pivotally move said detent means in the same rotative direction out of holding position with respect to said latch device, said first lever means arm portion having a blocking portion, a generally vertically extending swingable member pivotally mounted at one end thereof on said flange portion and having a blocking flange thereon for cooperation with said blocking portion, said second lever means having a first arm overlying said detent means arm portion and a second'arm, a draft link means having a pin and slot connection with said second arm, said draft link means having an end part thereof adapted to be in abutting relation to an an abutment on said swingable member when the latter is in non-blocking position, said draft link 13 14- means when shifted in one direction being eifective to said swingable member from non-blocking position to swing said second lever means to cause its first arm to blocking position.

abut said detent means arm portion to move said detent References Cited in the file of this patent means out of holding position with respect to said latch device independently of said first lever means, said draft 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS link means when shifted in the opposite direction to cause 2,557,468 Roethel June 19, 1951 its end part to abut said abutment being eflective to swing 2,604,345 Roethel July 22, 1952 

